Srinagar, Apr 06 (KNO): The operation in Rangdouri Behak along the line of control in north Kashmir's Kupwara district was conducted over the past five days and was concluded with the killing of all the five militants.
According to Wire Service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), 15 Corps commander Lt Gen BS Raju told a selected group of reporters that the operation in Rangdouri Behak was conducted in extremely challenging conditions. He said the five militants killed in the operation had infiltrated from Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK).
The operation was completed in spite of the very challenging terrain and conditions, "the infiltration happened on 1st of the April early in the morning and this particular bid was immediately detected by Battalion deployed along the line of control (LOC) who as per standing operating procedure (SOP) immortality gave a chase".
The battalion in spite of extremely challenging conditions was able to make contact with the militants at approximately 1300 hours (1 PM) and in the brief contact the militants abandoned their heavy loads and were able to go down deep in gorge, he said.
He said by late evening the formation responsible for that particular area was able to successfully isolate the militants in the north along the line of control (LOC) and in the south along the Shamshuddin range.
Over the next two days, the formation conducted multiple helicopter and UAV, to get better situation awareness, they also isolated the militants from both east and the west, thereby completely isolating the militants, " On the 4th of April by mid day based on the information available with us on the lightly location of the militants, Special Forces were dropped in the close vicinity by the helicopters, as this column (SF) was approaching the target area on of the militants who probably was started to return back towards the LOC and who ran straight Into the stopes of LOC Battalion and he was killed immediately", he said.
He said the special forces who were approaching the target area were travelling/ Trekking the extremely challenging and terrain in very high snow levels and over extreme steep slopes, this particular Column (SF) was able to make contact with the militants late in the evening.
Lt Gen furthermore said in the ensuing fire fight that took place over the next 5 to 6 hours the special forces managed to kill the balance of four militants, in this particular operation we were able to recover 5 AK 47 along with its arms and ammunition, 2 UBGLs , 2 Pistols, Satellite radio communication equipment, BHF equipment along with the large quantity of administrative stores.
Meanwhile, a special forces soldier who was part of the operation said it was heavily snowing and they were chest deep in the snow. "Militants were hiding in a deep gorge and it was a close contact battle. We found the body of subedar sir very close to one slain militant," he said in a video message on twitter—(KNO)